1 AmaKhosi 17:7-24

Kwathi ekupheleni kwezinsuku umfudlana washa, ngokuba yayingekho imvula ezweni. Kwase kufika izwi likaJehova kuye, lathi: “Suka uye eSarefati elingeleSidoni, uhlale khona; bheka, ngiyalile lapho umfelokazi ukuba akondle.” Wayesesuka waya eSarefati; esefikile esangweni lomuzi, bheka, umfelokazi wayecakasha khona; wambiza wathi: “Ake ungilethele ingcosana yamanzi esitsheni, ngiphuze.” Esasuka ukuwalanda, wambiza wathi: “Ake ungilethele nocezu lwesinkwa esandleni sakho.” Kepha wathi: “Kuphila kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, anginalo neqebelengwane, kukhona kuphela ukhweshe lwempuphu embizeni nengcosana yamafutha ophisweni; bheka, sengicakashile izinkuni ezimbili, ukuze ngingene ngizilungiselele khona nendodana yami ukuba sikudle, sife.” Wayesethi u-Eliya kuye: “Ungesabi; hamba wenze njengokusho kwakho, kepha ngenzele mina kuqala iqebelengwane elincane ngakho, ulilethe kimi, andukuba uzilungiselele wena nendodana yakho. Ngokuba usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Imbiza yempuphu ayikuphela, nophiso lwamafutha aluyikuswela kuze kufike lolo suku uJehova anisa ngalo imvula emhlabeni.’ ” Wayesehamba, wenza njengokusho kuka-Eliya: kwadla yena, no-Eliya, nendlu yakhe izinsuku eziningi. Imbiza yempuphu ayiphelanga, nophiso lwamafutha aluswelanga njengezwi likaJehova alikhulumile ngesandla sika-Eliya. Kwathi emva kwalokho indodana yalowo mfelokazi, umnikazindlu, yagula; ukugula kwayo kwaba namandla kangaka ngangokuba yayingasenakho ukuphefumula. Wayesethi ku-Eliya: “Nginamsebenzi muni nawe muntu kaNkulunkulu na? Uze kimi ukuba kukhumbuleke isono sami nokuba kubulawe indodana yami.” Kepha wathi kuye: “Nginike indodana yakho.” Wayithatha esifubeni sakhe, wayikhuphulela ekamelweni eliphezulu lapho ehlala khona, wayibeka embhedeni wakhe. Wayesekhala kuJehova, wathi: “Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, usuwehlisele nalo mfelokazi engigogobele kwakhe okubi okungaka uze ubulale indodana yakhe na?” Wazelula phezu komntwana kathathu, wakhala kuJehova, wathi: “Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, umphefumulo walo mntwana mawubuyele kuye.” UJehova walizwa izwi lika-Eliya; umphefumulo womntwana wabuyela kuye, waphila. U-Eliya wayesethatha umntwana, wamehlisa ekamelweni eliphezulu, wamngenisa endlini, wamnika unina; wathi u-Eliya: “Bheka, indodana yakho isiyaphila.” Owesifazane wathi ku-Eliya: “Manje sengiyazi ukuthi wena ungumuntu kaNkulunkulu nokuthi izwi likaJehova elisemlonyeni wakho liyiqiniso.”